Times FileJudge Thomas W. Sumners Jr appointed to the civil division of Mercer County Superior Court

TRENTON — The criminal courthouse on South Broad Street is a long way from the corporate board rooms where newly appointed Superior Court Judge Thomas Brown spent much of his career as a private attorney, but he says he’s ready for the change.

One of three new judges to take the bench in Mercer County’s criminal court — civil court transfers Mark Fleming and Thomas Sumners are the others — Brown will tackle cases involving accused gang murderers and other violent offenders.

It’s not exactly the caseload he had representing Capital Health System Inc., Trenton Emergency Medical Service and numerous health care providers throughout Mercer County
“There’s a learning curve involved,” he said with a smile. “Yes, I did some litigation previously but I never did any criminal litigation. I’m here and I’m learning it.”

The 58-year-old Ewing resident, a 1971 graduate of Notre Dame High School in Lawrence, grew up in Yardville before earning a degree from Widener Law School. He practiced law privately, most recently as a partner with Lenox, Socey, Formidoni, Brown, Giordano, Cooley & Casey — before being appointed to the bench in July.

For as long as he can remember, Brown has wanted to be an attorney first, then a judge resolving disputes. And while criminal court is a “different world” for him, he’s looking forward to it. “I want to be known not necessarily as a brilliant judge but one who gives everyone an opportunity,” he said. “Regardless of the decision, I want people to feel that they were given their day in court.”

Fleming was a family court judge before taking the bench in criminal court early this summer. Appointed to the Superior Court bench in 2006 by outgoing Gov. Richard J. Codey, Fleming is a former assistant attorney general and served as deputy chief counsel to the governor.

For the Ewing resident who grew up in Philadelphia, the legal profession has always been fascinating.

“I was interested in the whole courtroom experience, politics, helping people, that kind of thing,” he said.

He views the criminal justice is “probably the most important function of the courts.”

“Any modern, civilized society needs to have rules that everyone adheres to and needs to dispense justice when laws are broken,” he said.

Fleming says his goal as a criminal court judge is to be known as a fair and impartial jurist.
“Every case is important,” he said. “Some are more time-consuming than others but each one is important to the defendants, the victims, the prosecutors and the defense attorneys. It’s important to handle each case the way I think it should be handled.”

Sumners comes to the criminal courts from the civil division where his caseload included medical malpractice suits, civil rights complaints and other legal disputes.

A former partner in the Trenton firm Sumners George and former attorney for the Trenton Board of Education, Sumners was appointed to the bench by Gov. Jon Corzine in 2008. A graduate of the Hun School of Princeton, the 53-year-old lives in Lawrence.

“Here you’re dealing with people’s liberties. What’s at stake is whether someone is going to be incarcerated,” he said. “I have to apply the law whether I’m in criminal or civil court. But I do think when somebody’s liberty is at stake it creates a more pressure for everybody.”
His goal in both courts remains the same.
“I want to understand and appreciate what legal and factual arguments the parties are making and apply the law in a fair and just manner.”